Red Bull not the only worry for McLaren next year

With Red Bull’s recent dominance in Formula 1, McLaren is coy about its chances next year particularly as the technical regulations would remain more or less the same.

Red Bull clinched the drivers’ and constructors’ crowns in the last two seasons and is set to clinch its third straight title this year as well, but the defending champion isn’t the only threat for the British team in 2013.

“The fact is that you go into every year with high expectations,” McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh told F1Pulse.com. “I think everyone works hard to improve the car.

“Red Bull's a very strong team, Ferrari's a strong team, the rest of the teams will all be competing next year so if you're wise you go into every year worried about the 11 other competitors.

“You never know what they're going to spring, you don't know how good a job they've done,” the Briton pointed out. “Sometimes you don't know how bad a job you've done yourself, so that's the exciting thing about Formula 1.”

Ferrari is ahead of McLaren in the constructors’ standings this year and Lotus has always been in the mix this season, with Kimi Raikkonen recently emerging victorious at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, suggesting 2013 could get even more competitive.

“Everyone goes off the radar screen. We don't get pace information for a period of time. We all work hard to develop a new car. As I say, during the winter you start to grow confident about what you've done but you've got to be mindful of the fact that there are 11 good teams working hard to beat you,” Whitmarsh added.